


Secret Affairs

by IsabellaRomanoff



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-01-15 08:26:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12317370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsabellaRomanoff/pseuds/IsabellaRomanoff
Summary: Steve was a handsome, seductive and intelligent boy. The perfect man, that every woman would want. There was no female to resist. Although sweet and attentive to them never spent more than one night with each. Except for Natasha Romanoff. She couldn't be compare with any other. She was not a woman. Well, yes, she was a woman but she was his friend, like his sister. He would not notice her otherwise.Natasha was happy surrounded by boys who treated her like one more, playing their games and practically, dressing just like them. But the day she discovered that with a smile could cause an accident, basketball lost interest for her and a new entertainment and desire to experience, live and be naughty, flooded. To do this, and not lose what she had already achieved, she decided she could have both, as long as they did not mix. Two lives from one another.The secrets are always known and sooner or later Steve had to learn that Natasha was not like one of his companions. But how could he continue to treat her the same if he could only think about what those broad clothes would hide? How to look at her as always after seeing her wiggling sensuously in his face? No, that would not be easy!





	1. Chapter 1

  


CHAPTER 1

It's four o'clock in the afternoon and still in bed, how was it possible? He was Steve Rogers, of course it was possible! Natasha said and cursed in her way to to his room, he had already slept enough, and were left to throw some baskets. She didn't care at what time he came home last night and with whom. She also had a busy night and did not have to make everyone participate in it. But Steve did like to emphasize that her life was comfortable and enviable.

She entered the room and found him sprawled on the bed. Natasha wasn't going to pass unnoticed, so she threw herself on the bed, making it vibrate. It did not work. She sat on his back and began to jump.

"Wake up big boy! We are going to be late. I'm here to wake you up." said Natasha.

"Go away" he growled as he hid his face in the pillow.

"Come on!" she said, leaning on his back and leaning her face on his shoulder. "The boys are going to be angry." she stated before gently biting his shoulder.

"Auch! Already got up."

Reluctantly he stepped out from under the pillow as she pulled back to lie down beside him.

"I'm naked, you should not be in my bed," he protested.

"There are many things I shouldn't do and I do them. It's one of my charms." she teased. "I know you're naked. You always sleep like that. That's why I have not gotten under the sheets. But as long as you do not hurry, I'll get you out of there naked."

Steve took boxers out of a drawer as she got up and headed to his closet. He watched as she rummaged through his drawers and grabbed one of his favorite t-shirts. Natasha took off the one she wore to put on her friend's, and he could see her silhouette. How could I have never seen her before? She always did the same, changed her shirt in front of him, on her back, letting her long tail only see her shoulders, could not even see the tight t-shirt of suspenders. She had never been exposed to scrutiny, never wore tight clothing, dresses or had bikini in front of him. How was it possible that his best lifelong friend had never gone with him to the beach? He shook his head to stop thinking about such nonsense. They were colleagues, no matter the physical aspect, for that were the rest of the women.

Natasha had learned over the years that she was not affected by the sensuality of Steve. She controlled that game more than he could imagine. She dedicated herself to that. But he would never know. He had to keep thinking that if she did not get on her nerves and throw herself on him, it was because she did not find him sexually attractive, he should never know that it was because she had learned much more self-control than all the girls he dealt with.

"I went out last night and I'm hung over, you should be a good friend and pity me." he said, pulling her out of his thoughts.

"You do not give me the slightest grief." she snapped, throwing him the shirt she had just taken off.

He absorbed the scent of his T-shirt and without thinking he put it on. Many times he did, put on of the t-shirts she gave him back and that's why she had stopped bringing them already washed, although they were clean, of course. He did not have to justify himself, the shirt was his, he could wear it whenever he wanted, and if he preferred it to be after she had removed it, what else? He did not have to justify himself. He likes how she smelled, so what? It meant nothing, he repeated himself once more, as he did every day.

"Some jeans and you look like a decent man. Or at least, they will not stop you from public scandal." she joked as she sat on the bed and yawned.

"Wow! It seems that I am not the only one who slept." he said aptly.

"This ... I was up late." she said simply.

"So much television is not good. One day you should come with us. A little partying will make you feel good. Yesterday we tried to enter the club that I told you about, "The Ritual" and nothing. There's no way they're letting us in. But as my name is Steve, I'll go in there!"

Not if I can stop you, she thought. She had spent the night awake, she had not lied about it and it was not her fault if he misjudged. She loved his friend a lot, and he would love the place, it was the fashionable place, but she could not let him see her working there. Luckily the chance and the strict orders of the owner, made that the porters do not let pass any young, however handsome, that did not have a name or face known. Working in that place had been the best of solutions for not mingling with your college buddies. None would have access and if they had it they would probably not recognize it or not notice it. The calmness of these thoughts made her smile.

"Someday I'll go out with you." In twenty or thirty years, she thought.

"After the game we'll go to watch the game and for a few beers, you won't leave us as usual?"

"No, today I can." she conceded, smiling.

That night she did not have to work because the night before she had argued with the chief and to make herself beg she had said that she was leaving. One night without her and would creep back at her feet. In that place no one knew how to do anything without her permission. And she was tired of organizing everything, being public relations, waitress and mediator between employees and clients, to be paid as a simple dancer. She liked her work, the one she was supposed to do and the one she actually did, but that did not make her unconscious and did not know that they did not value her. Either they paid for it or they did not, she told herself.

  


* * *

  


They went to the court where everyone was waiting for them. They played and laughed as usual. It was so easy to integrate with them. She loved his company, though that meant hiding behind clothes that did not identify her. But she felt safe and comfortable in them. They went to have a few beers and watch the game. It was one more of the guys, and the girls she hated so much let her know.

"Hey, guys." she purred into Steve's ear as she stroked his hair. "Can we go with them?"

"Sharon" he protested as he shook his hand. "We're watching the game. Don't you have women's things to do?"

Natasha wanted to protest. I knew they did not consider her as such, but she was a woman. It was said that it was better not to speak because she would only be able to defend the last person she would defend. But I could be clear that he would hear it later. And the same thing I could tell Sharon, she thought. That girl was too low and the worst thing was that she did not get anything. Hadn't she learned anything about it? She could certainly teach her various things. But I would die first, before helping her with something, she told herself. Sharon had been the perfect stereotype of a typical teen movie, popular and unbearable. Natasha was well considered among the boys but the girls treated her with the respect that the unknown caused them. A girl who does not pretend to stand out or get the attention of men? Impossible! Unless it was not attractive and it was the concept that everyone had of her.

-"Would you rather watch twenty guys running than me?" she whispered, caressing his cheek.

\- "You are right! You did not convince me last night." he said irritably.

\- "Asshole!" she cried angrily.

Sharon went mad followed by her goupies. That was right, Steve could be a real asshole, thought Natasha, but luckily for her he would never treat her like that, because she was not a woman but his best friend. She thanked God for deciding to hide, otherwise they probably would not be friends now. And Steve was their pillar not to collapse, their support in the chaos that was their home. He might not really know her, her life, but he knew her soul. He always knew when she was feeling bad or not, when she wanted to talk or just a hug. He was the perfect friend and she would not lose it because he focused more on the miniskirt she wore than on what she told him.

Steve watched as Natasha frowned and put his arm around her shoulders, bringing her back to reality. His friend was a hopeless feminist and he was sure she was going to give him a sermon on how to treat a woman. But now it was time to have fun with colleagues, a few beers and good jokes.

  


* * *

  


Steve called Natasha to her house and was surprised she was not there. He called her cell phone and didn't answer. Worried because it was getting too late, he ran out of his house. While he was in the garden he looked at the roof of his own house and there she was! He sighed relieved and climbed the ladder, which staggered slightly with weight. He sat down beside her and stared at the starry sky.

"What happened now?" asked Steve, unconcerned.

"I don't know. I left as soon as they started arguing. The scene loses its grace when it is repeated daily." explained Natasha, looking at nothing.

"I do not understand why you don't leave your house," replied Steve after a sigh. "You are not happy there!"

"You are so dramatic!" she teased, trying to improvise a smile.

"Why are you on my roof then? You're the only adult in that house."

"That's a possibility." she confirmed sadly. "But they are my parents and without me, they would end up killing each other. My mother would end up carrying out some of her stupid threats and my father would end up leaving her or putting her in an insane facility or something." She sighed with resignation and looked at him with a radiant smile. "I'm essential."

"Let's change the subject," Steve said. "You told me some time ago that you needed to work so you have some money.

"Yes, I don't want to have to go to my father for those things. You know how it is. I prefer safe money if I need it for anything."

"Nat, it's me. Do not lie to me. I know you want money to pay the bills that your father "forgets" to pay. You're the only one who makes the purchase and takes care of that house."

"Come on, I'm like a saint!" she teased reluctantly.

Since her father had undertaken work autonomy, Natasha had to worry that the money would be invested, to some extent, in the family home and not just in the business, as her father wanted. Her mother, though she was really kind, was very immature and capricious, qualities that disgusted her daughter as much as provoked the need to protect her. Over the years she had learned not to get involved in the fights between her parents, since she was the only one who suffered from them. She spent hours crying in her room thinking that when she got out she would see her mother leave or her father had the courage to scream and tell her how much he wanted to fulfill her promise to leave. But there was always the same scene, the two embracing and kissing, like two college kids, acting as if nothing had happened. Only Natasha suffered. Until she decided to leave the scene and flee to the warm arms of her friend. Or to his roof.

"Who was the guy who went to college this morning with you? He was ..." elegant, Steve thought, and had to admit, "handsome-much older than you."

"Easy little brother," she teased, laughing. "Do you think a guy like that would look at me?" Of course! She replied to herself.

"Well ... I just thought it was weird that he was looking for you," he said relieved.

"He was my boss," she said without thinking. "Work ... ahm ... I take care of his children! That's it, at night. That's why I can't go out with you. And he went to look for me because ... his wife fired me on Saturday and came to apologize in her name. She had a few more drinks than usual and they fought. She took it with me." she lied.

"Oh, wow! You did not tell me. I'm glad you found something. Caring for children should not be too difficult. Although you never call me to help you.

Steve continued joking about her supposed job, while she laughed to herself, thinking that it was not so different from what she actually did. No doubt the guys I had to deal with every weekend were not kids, but many of them behaved like that. All of them, to be more exact. And they thought she was a toy. A toy that everyone fought every night and dreamed of and remembered every day. But it was just another fantasy. That was their job, to provoke the desires and lusts of all of them, entertain them and above all, make them stay and consume. And she did it really well. So much so, that her boss came to look for her, after making a box with half of the expected profits. In a short time, she had made many friends, who left right away after noticing she wasn't working anymore. So to secure the benefits, she had been promoted to public relations. It was not bad for a simple dancer, she thought proudly.

"Then," said Natasha, coming out of her thoughts, "Sharon finally got what she wanted."

"Yes," said the man. "On Saturday I gave in."

"You speak as if you were forced," she said with a smile.

"She's the most selfish, thought-provoking girl I've ever met. And do not think I don't know how she treats you. "

"Why did you mess with her then?" She asked.

"Because she is very good," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You are lost by women!" she accused, laughing.

" I know, I know"- holding her – "They do with me what they want."

"No. You do with them what you can and they let you."

"Hey! I only do what they ask me. What fault do I have to be so irresistible?"

"Excuse! I'm going to throw up and then I'm coming back." she joked, pretending to get up so she can leave.

"Come here!" he ordered smiling as he pressed her against him.

Steve was always there when she needed it. He cared for her without making her feel vulnerable or dependent. She had also been a tearful cloth to him when his parents divorced and after a few bad years with his mother, Steve had decided to live with his father, who had remarried in the first year of the divorce. This pleased Steve, because he adored his stepmother and did not like to live alone with his father, although there were no problems between them, they were a few tense months. Natasha had been there with him, having lunch and dinner together almost every day, until his stepmother moved after the wedding. In a short time, he had the mother he had never had, cared for him and spoiled him like the rest of the women around him. For him it was the happiest moment of his life, not a single woman around him was resisting.

  


* * *

  


The next morning was like any other. They went to classes and met in the gardens with the rest of their friends. They joked and laughed. Everyone had grown used to having one of them laying on the other's lap. In time they stopped making assumptions, realizing that nothing was happening between them. No one was commenting anymore. Except Brock Rumlow. No body liked him, but they were forced to stand him for being Steve's distant cousin. And nobody would do anything to infuriate the leader of their group. Not a single one of his members argued with him because they appreciated him almost as much as they admired and envied him. There was only one person they could obey more vehemently, but it was more out of fear, and that was Natasha. Steve loved to watch how his friends feared her, as if she were capable of killing them with her eyes. Possibly, because more than one had received some of her jokes or revenge, and neither of them were light. It was good to fear her, he had no doubt about that.

Leaning on a tree, Natasha listened to the jokes of all, while she played distractedly with the Steve's hair, which was on her lap. Looking at the sky, at nothing, she started. Among the crowd of students, a familiar face walked towards her. But what was she doing there? She was going to spoil everything! She became alarmed and jumped almost causing a muscular contracture in the neck of her friend. She had to calm down and dissemble, so she processed a gentle smile and stood up, listening to Steve's grumpy protests.

The last thing she needed was for her "other" life to come and invade her. And something told her that the presence of her best friend Wanda, will do it! It was a beauty that caused glances wherever she went. She knew of their charms and used them well to get the best tips. She was one of the best dancers of all with whom she had worked but she preferred to be a waitress, for the generous profits and the contact with the customers. They had become intimate because of their mutual respect for each other. And Wanda was the only one who knew everything about Natasha's two faces.

"What are you doing here?" she asked hastily as she approached.

"Bruce has learned that you study here and may come to visit you. I thought you wanted to know." Wanda sneered.

"Oh no! That man can not be more insufferable." Natasha protested, moving away from the eyes of her friends. Everyone had noticed the presence of the sensual girl and they were undressing her with the look: "Let's get out of here or I'll have to find you bodyguards," she said dragging Wand, who started laughing.

They walked away from the gardens and into the first building they found. They had to find a way to get rid of that man. She had been delaying the break up too long, but it was time. Natasha had agreed to go out with the attractive man, thinking that a man of his level and reputation would not take her seriously and just have a little fun. But the rich, scientific man claimed to have fallen in love. She'd made him think she was a ragged waitress without any trade or benefit, but it seemed Bruce had made good use of his contacts to discover she was an outstanding student of respectable family. The revelation did not please her and although Wanda offered to help her get rid of him, she could not think of a way to do it. Unless...

  



	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Natasha had decided exactly what she would do to get rid of the annoying boyfriend, and so she told Wanda. Her friend had reservations about the plan. She had proposed that she run the other way if she saw him or invented a cover. Instead, Natasha had decided to defend herself by attacking.

"It does not seem like a good plan." said skeptically. "You are not going no get rid of him." Wanda protested.

"Wanda" covering one shoulder with her arm, Natasha said "I may not get rid of him but I will have him eating of my hand. Why lie if I am an expert in manipulation?"

"But Bruce is falling in love with you. If you keep him with hope it will be worse" Wanda argued.

"For him, not for me. If he fall in love with me, is his problem. I made it clear that I did not want anything serious. If you insist on seeing where there is not, I'm sorry, but I'm not to blame." Answer Natasha.

"I do not give a damn about that boy's broken heart, but if you look for him, wouldn't it be worse for you? I mean he will het obsess and give you more problems." explained Wanda

"My poor innocent Wanda." Natasha sneered as she hugged her. "I have so much to teach you!"

"Crazy!" Wanda laughed. "I know you always get what you want, but in this case I think it will not come out. And of course you have much to teach me."

"For example; to get rid of that boyfriend of yours." Natasha said.

Wanda was sensual, outgoing, and as mischievous as Natasha. But the hoarder, possessive and jealous of her boyfriend made her forget her own way of being. Though she had managed to leave him, she still succumbed to his charms as soon as he appeared. She begged Natasha in every possible way to help her be strong enough to forget him. And the instruction had begun.

"It's not mine anymore." growled Wanda.

"Remind him when you see him. Look around you. " Wanda turned to see all the men watching her. "There is not a single man in this room who does not want to sleep with you. And except for sex, your dear Vision did not give you anything else. I know that it is not easy to recreate the trust and intimacy you already had. But he did not bring anything. Find others you need. Surely you will get more than you had."

"You don't believe in love?" asked Wanda.

"Wanda, of course I believe in love, I'm in love!" - Reply Natasha

"With who?" Wanda asked curiously.

"Peter Pan, but the difference in age makes it impossible."

"Funny! Well, I have been in love and although it is painful, it exists!" Said Wanda.

"Love is as real as fairy tales. There is only what is in your imagination. If you want to believe, it will exist, but be conformed to reality. You were used to a life with a man who restrained you and for whom attraction and intimacy had made you need it. But if you cover all your needs, he will cease to be relevant." concluded Natasha." You only remember him because you are not satisfied."

"Do you think it's easy to forget the love of my life?" Wanda asked.

"No. I think it's easy to forget a guy who just made you suffer. And you will see that it will also be fun. A true love is only true if it makes you happy, but what does it do? What do you want it for?" Natasha answered.

"Great theory!" Wanda smiled.

"Men are so ... simple. But they can be really fun." Natasha said mockingly. "Do not settle for how good you are if you can get the best out there!"

"Whose sentence is that?" Wanda asked.

"Mine!" Natasha said.

The good humor of the moment vanished as soon as she saw Steve approaching. It was obvious that the beauty of Wanda had not gone unnoticed. But before she came, she left, frightened that she did not know if she would screw up and talk about more. Natasha smiled at her and waved goodbye then approached her friend, frowning at the sight of her leaving.

"Is your friend leaving?" Steve asked.

"She's already gone. As much as you look at the door she will not come back." giggled Natasha.

"Where do you know her from?" wondered Steve.

"We work in the same club every weekend," said a calm Natasha.

"Very funny! Seriously, where do they know each other?" Steve said

She had told him the truth, Natasha thought. But she knew exactly how to say things to be credible or not. And to say a bomb like that in the quietest way possible, was by no means believable. And she knew it. That's why she smiled, shook her head and solved his doubts.

She did not actually do it but gave him an answer that made him forget the sculptural brunette.

"She's my best friend." Natasha said impassively.

"I am your best friend!" Steve corrected angrily.

"Well, there are things I can not talk to you about."

"Like what? I tell you everything!" said Steve, folding his arms in irritation.

"I know," he told her with all the details, Natasha thought. "But you'd get sick with some things I share with her."

"Oh, come on! Do you want me to think you guys talk about "women things", go shopping and do your make up in front of a mirror while you turn men green?" said Steve

"Steve" Natasha said gaping, showing her best face in surprise. "Do not tell me that's what you do on Saturday nights when I do not see you?" she continued, bursting into laughter. "For being a man you know very well what women do when they are alone."

"I ... Oh Natasha! Don't be foolish."

"Come on big guy, don't get mad," she said with a big smile as she hugged him, "and invite me a beer."

"IM your best friend?" Steve shouted.

"Obvious!" said Natasha, amused.

"All right!" said Steve, serious but relieved as he carried her to the cafeteria as if escaping.

Natasha had known for years how jealous her friend was. The very idea that another person could take his place made him easily distracted. And she knew how to use it in her favor. There were few things she did not know how to use to her advantage. The only one she knew was happiness. She was never able to use it properly. She thought she was not meant to be happy, that she did not know how to value him, or that she was simply bored. Maybe it was just that she had not yet known true happiness. If it existed.

To Natasha's misfortune not all her friends were so volatile, and as soon as she got close to them she had to answer the questioning. She invented a chance encounter and a flourishing friendship, based on unconditional support. She tried to convince herself that it was not all a lie, but to compare a friendship forged after competition in a fashionable place because it was the most exuberant, with an innocent well-intentioned friendship between two people who did not share the same social circle ... it was not in absolutely similar

It was clear that the high boots and the chocolate-colored dress, girdled up to the middle of the thigh and buttoned up, worn by Wanda, did not combine at all with the worn jeans and the wide T-shirt of Natasha. It was logical that everyone thought that friendship was strange and peculiar. They would think Wanda would be doing a charity and perhaps she wanted to help her be more feminine, or that Natasha, for some reason incomprehensible to those men, had approached her to help her in some matter. They knew she had a weakness for helping all who needed help, but they also knew that Wanda was the kind of woman Natasha could not stand. But why? Natasha wondered. Was it so difficult to believe that one self-sufficient woman was friends with another, even if they wore different clothes and had different tastes? It would have been a great argument, Natasha thought, but it was because that dress was hers.

 

* * *

 

 

The days passed and Natahsa was relaxing. Classes just started so she was not too busy. And even though it was her senior year to graduate, she was calm because she had her future planned. Not everyone could afford to finish and start working on dadys business, like Steve. But she had made her contacts and would take them as soon as she finished college. They may not have respected her as a newly licensed business woman with her background, but those who knew her knew that her brain could be a real money-making machine. She had already several requests to make small collaborations in an area she loved: advertising. But she knew that as she began to work, she would leave her studies aside, so she set out to finish as soon as possible and then look for a job. During her summers she used to work together with Steve in the great company of his father and thus have some work experience. But she did not want to take advantage of her friend. She knew that if they hired her, it would not be because of her ability. And although in another case it would not have mattered to her, in this one she does. Another thought to give her work is to do her a favor, she did not care, as it would show him how qualified she was. But she didn't even want Steve to believe that she was not valid for employment. She might have cared too much what he thought of her but it was normal, they were friends! Natasha told herself convinced of it.

Steve wandered around the school, making time for their next class. He smiled at a group of girls who were almost infamous to see him and walked to the secretary to finish fixing all the papers for the registration. He always left everything for the last moment, Natasha had reproached him. And it was true. It was the last day to fix it or he would stay out of that university.

The campus secretary smiled ecstatically at a tall, handsome young man, who, from his dark complexion, concluded that he was not from there. He approached them and tried to hide his curiosity. But the woman was so busy drooling over the beautiful face of the man that she did not answer his questions. Steve took pity on him and told him where to go and explained some important things about the campus. After fixing the papers. It was a long time before the two men were so well formed in front of their noses. They went to take a tour of the university and explain better their dynamics.

"Sorry! I have been impolite. My name is James Buchanan Barnes" he said, extending his hand. "But you can call me Bucky"

"Steve Rogers" he replied by shaking hands.

"A pleasure. Excuse me, but this woman had me a little hysterical."

"Get used to it. I do not know where you come from, but here women are so ... uninhibited" Steve finished with a laugh.

"I'm not sure if that's good or bad," said James smiling. "I've just arrived from abroad. I spent a few years in Europe. My father wanted me to graduate from an English university like he did. But he passed away a few months ago and I had to take care of the family business. I thought it would not be a good idea to stop studying because I would not take my employees seriously, besides this is my senior year. But I could not go outside, that's why I moved here."

"So you're from here?" Steve asked.

"My father yes, and I was born here, but my mother is Swedish." answered James.

"Now I understand. And I'm very sorry about your dad." Steve said sympathetically.

"Don't worry. I barely knew him. My parents lived together but had separate lives and I was always with my mother. The only time my father noticed my presence was to send me to London. Now I live with my mother again." added James

"My parents also separated. But they had to put land in between. My mother did not manage to ruin my father no matter how much he cared, and he decided to go find a new victim far from here, where no one knew what she really was like. I lived for a while with her but I could not stand her frivolity and I went back to my dad. I do not complain, now I have a real family. My father remarried and she is a very good woman. And I have many friends. I think my need to return was more for not losing my friends than for my parents." Steve said.

They talked for a long time about their lives. They both noticed the ease with which they opened to each other. They had fallen very well. And even though James needed him to know more about that place unknown to him, that was not what made him want to be with him all morning, but how comfortable he was.

Already with jokes Steve was classifying to the students that was in its passage. He commented on the fondness for illegal tobacco from a group sitting in a strategic area of the campus, pointed out to the typical nerds, who did not need to be careful to recognize them, and went to the football field where he trained with his friends. The training was not yet started but the cheerleaders were exercising.

"I suppose the blond is the cheerleader." James said, smiling at the way she looked at them.

"Yes," said Steve with a sigh. "Thas's Sharon Carter."

"Let's see if I guess: you're the captain of the football team and she's something like your little friend in special circumstances," James teased.

"Something like that." Steve said with a smile.

"This looks like a stereotypical movie. It only needs that girl," said James pointing out," the typical unpopular who dreams of being cheery and lives in love with you. She will do the work to be close to you and content you.

"You could not be more wrong. She's Natasha, my best friend. She hates cheerleaders and everything they represent. And it costs her the same life remembering to do her own works, I don't think that she never stops to think about doing something with me." explained amusing Steve.

"Wow! That's not what I expected. The captain of the football team is the best friend of a ... "James froze as she turned around and smiled. With no makeup on and a simple ponytail, she was the most perfect face he had ever seen. Her huge green eyes stuck in his soul and that smile blinded him until he did not remember who he was or what he was doing there – "precious!"

"What? Natasha?" Steve asked in surprise.

"By God, will not you be so ridiculous to say that such a woman is ugly?" Those huge eyes and those fleshy lips ... You have to present her to me!

"You're kidding, aren't you? Tasha?" Steve repeated again in disbelief.

"Oh, come on! Those clothes do not fool anyone. She could put on a sack and it would be just as well. Although there is not much difference with what it takes. I may need a fashion consultant, and she's not the type of women I usually set, but with that angel face I'll make an exception!"

"You're kidding, aren't you?" Steve repeated angrily. "Natasha is my best friend, I will not let you play with her. She may not be a beauty but she's a good girl."

"Don't you have eyes in your face? That it is not a beauty? Do you need to have her to wear pom-poms so you can see it well?" James snapped at him.

"Don't say foolishness! I may not be very objective because I have always seen her as my sister, but if she has never had a boyfriend or any man has cared for her is for something."

Of course she was not beautiful, Steve thought. It was true that she had huge green eyes in which you could lose yourself as if they were an ocean. Maybe when she smiled she seemed to be able to save a life with that simple smile. She certainly had an angelic face. But at no time could it be said that she was a beauty. No one would compare her to those hollow and shallow ones that had spent hours in front of a mirror looking for the perfect way to seduce a man. She would never be a woman sure of herself and her appearance that would make men fall at his feet. She would never be the kind of woman he liked.

He took advantage of the arrival of his cousin's inseparable to verify his opinion.

Rumlow was very sincere and besides, he never contradicted him, so he would agree with him.

"Rumlow, do you think Natasha is beautiful?" Steve asked without wanting to hear any sort of statement and made it clear.

"Natasha? Beautiful?" Rumlow looked at his cousin. "Of course she is."

"What? I mean, do you think she's beautiful?" Steve insisted.

"Yes, why do you think everyone wants to block her when we play basketball?" Rumlow teased. He laughed in amusement until he saw the angry face of his cousin, and he became instantly serious. "Everyone knows she's very pretty. It's not the kind of woman that makes you fall off the seat because she has zero femininity, but she's gorgeous."

"And why has not anyone ever told me? Or have you ever tried anything with her?" Steve protested angrily. "If she's so pretty, there would be one who did not care how she dressed."

"More than one." Rumlow said earnestly. "But everyone when they meet you two thinks you guys are together and then becomes an extra colleague and it's morbid to try to hook up with one of us, even if it's a girl."

"Hi. What are you talking about that is so serious?" Natasha worried as she approached.

No one answered and only looked at Steve inspecting it from top to bottom as if looking for something that had been overlooked.

"Nothing," Rumlow said finally. "We were just saying you are very pretty, and Steve did not agree.

For some reason that comment hurt her more than Natasha would like to acknowledge. No woman likes to be told that she is not beautiful but not her. It is true that she liked to seduce and took advantage of her appearance for it. But she thought it was a matter of not a physical attitude. If someone did not consider her beautiful she didn't care, to taste the colors, and to her the likes of others were quite irrelevant. She had gotten a man who hated chestnuts, who were attracted to women much more voluptuous or even, who could not stand the girls so lush, fall at her feet. She did not care that they considered her ugly. None but Steve. Why on earth did he think she was ugly? She wondered. She had a crazy desire to go to her house to put on a tight dress and stilettos and show her how beautiful she could be. But she was not more beautiful to disguise herself better, she thought in pain. If with her face clean, her real face, he thought she was ugly, it would be the same with a kilo of makeup.

Steve cursed the day he let his cousin approach them. He saw fleetingly the sadness in the eyes of his beloved friend and wanted to kill that bigmouth. But just as he was about to correct Rumlow's mistake, Natasha smiled and turned her curious gaze to the third man, unknown to her. And he did not like the smiles that were being processed both. Natasha could not look at a guy like that. He was the typical womanizer. He had everything and boasted about it. He was a playboy he thought he could get anyone. He was ... like him! Steve thought, astonished by the way their thoughts were taking. She could not look at a guy like ... She couldn't!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for all the mistakes, i forgot to tell that english is not my first language, so please be patinete with me!! i will upload all the chapters i already posted on fanfiction!! thank you so much!!


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Natasha introduced herself politely to James and kept a few words. Strangled by the way she looked at Steve, she was more introverted than usual. Was this what Rumlow had said? If so, she should be the one to get angry, not him. Why did he look at her like he was planning a crime? Natasha thought she might feel threatened by the new one. But Steve had never cared about competition and was not a risk to their friendship. Why was there so much reproach in his face? She did not know or care, she said irritably. She hadn't liked to confirm that Steve did not hold her looking in high esteem, but she had no intention of letting it notice.

A few days later, Natasha was as she always was. James had won everyone with his charm, becoming one more. Although she noticed that she didn't treat her like everyone else, she did not care. It was the first time that anyone did not think she was Steve's girlfriend. It was just that. But what brought her crazy was the behavior of Steve. In the last few days he had not spent more than an hour with them. He would always sit down and after any talk he would just get up and leave without the slightest explanation. Besides that he was never in his house when she went to see him. Or so his stepmother said. And worst of all, he had become more involved than sensibly allowed with Sharon. It was clear that something was wrong. And she would find out when they were alone. In those moments they were surrounded by people and it was not the right place.

Steve looked at the group, irritated. Again Natasha was sitting next to James. They chatted again excitedly. To smile as if they were alone. He couldn't bear to see them. He had to get out of there. So he got up and without saying a word went cursing under his breath.

Natasha had been watching him and barely heard what James was telling her, so she smiled at him not to get angry. When Steve left, she apologized and followed.

"Steve!" She called after him. Steve stopped when he heard her and looked at her tenderly as she came up to him and hugged him by the waist. "Shall we have some coffee? Since you've been dating, you don't want to know anything about anyone." Natasha protested, dragging him along.

"That's not true!" Steve denied and plant himself in the ground if they were carrying him against his will. But he was happy to have her back so close. Caring about him. Just him "Sharon is not my girlfriend. I don't have any girlfriend." He said effusively.

"Well, then you've been avoiding me," Natasha said angrily. "Every time I came to see you, you were not there. And with the boys, so there was only one option left: Sharon. If you have not been with any girl these days why haven't you been around?

Because he could not bear to see her with that vulture hovering around waiting for her to fall into his claws, Steve wanted to shout at her. But he did not say that, but tried to dissimulate talking about how busy he was with the new semester. They walked and talked as they used to. And Steve regained self-confidence. Natasha was still his Tasha. Not that he wanted anything more from her than her friendship, but he did not like to think he could lose her. And he had to admit that he did not like sharing her either. He was a jealous friend, but only a friend.

"And you?" Steve asked, avoiding his gaze. "How have you been these days?" He didn't wanted to know, he thought. Why had he asked? Now she would tell him about James's love and did not want to hear it!

"Well," replied Natasha, reluctantly, "as always!"

Steve knew she was very reserved. In so many years she had never spoken of any feelings or attractions to any boy. But he couldn't help but smile with pure happiness at not seeing her excited and jumping for joy for this guy, as they all have done. She probably was interested. Surely she would be dying for him to herself. But all that didn't matter, because if she didn't say it wasn't real. As long as she did not admit that she felt something for another ... for someone, he rectified himself, he would not consider that feeling existed.

"And what do you think about James?" Why on earth would he asked her that? Steve didn't want to know, didn't want to! But he waited impatiently for the answer.

"Bucky? Well, it's ... ahm." She stopped to look at him and smile. "It reminds me of you."

"Me?" Steve growled angrily. There was nothing that could have offended him more.

"A born leader, who wins everyone with his charm, that makes the girls sigh with a smile and sweeping and completely ... " Natasha paused to sneer her tongue "arrogant. Just like an exact clone of you."

"Do you also sigh for his smiles?" Steve asked, full of fear.

"I do not sigh for yours, why would I do it for him?" replied Natasha

The answer should have hurt him in his self-esteem, but he was relieved. Natasha was still one of the boys. There was no danger of her becoming a fragile, infatuated little girl. She was still the girl who made him escape at night to teach her how to fight. With the same tail and huge eyes that would always be attentive to anything but the sensibility of other women.

"I think he may be interested in you." said Steve expressionlessly. He did not care anymore. She was not interested, so it did not matter that she knew. "He said he wanted me to introduce you, that you looked very pretty."

"Oh!" And that's when he told her she was ugly, Natasha thought." That would explain why he always mysteriously ends up sitting next to me even though we don't sit down at once." She explained, smiling. How strange that she hadn't noticed. But she had never had to think about men like that when she was with her friends. It had not been the case that a man was interested in her, with such pints. And she had to admit that the boy was handsome. But she had already made up her mind, she would not be involved again with another man, when she hadn't yet got rid of the last. But this was not the job. She could not get in trouble here. No, nothing was better not to think about men until she graduated and her life recomposed itself a little.

"Well, that seems to look like me, too," Steve teased. "Does he want to replace me?" He mocks her.

"The two of you are playboys but you don't resemble anything, in the way of being. You are spontaneous, chatty and loving. And he is more reserved, intellectual and charismatic."

"Hey!" Steve frowned. "He has taken the best adjectives."

"Well, you're more of a clown. Although ... " Natasha broke off remembering the image of the young man and biting her lip she continued "he has a better ass."

Steve did not like that remark. Not only the fact that she admired more the butt of another than his own, but that she had fixed herself on that part of the body. He did not like it when sometimes, very seldom, she showed signs of being a woman. That was what irritated him, men did not praise the backs of other men. And she was like a friend to him. He was not jealous, or even less worried that she might be attracted to James. He simply did not like to hear it, he asserted himself rudely. But ... what would she think of his ass? He cursed himself by the uncontrolled thoughts and returned to the conversation trying to joke.

"I have everything else better!"

Natasha bit her tongue so as not to say "Get naked and check it out." Steve was used to being shameless, direct and ill-bred but never with her, not like that. He would think that it is a hint or some stupidity of a cockerel, and Steve already had a high self-esteem and she wasn´t going to make it higher.

"If you say it!" Natasha said almost in a whisper, looking at the sky. "I suppose it's a matter of taste. You guys are physically opposed. One blond, with blue eyes and manly features. And the other ... " She smirked. She knew she shouldn't do it but she knew that would annoy her arrogant friend. "Brunnette, with beautiful eyes..." she sighed "strong ..." she bit her lip as if the image on her head caused her feverish. "and that baby face so cute."

No, he definitely did not like to hear it when she spoke like a woman. He did not like her to speak of such a loving way of a guy, for whom she supposedly did not feel anything. He did not like her sighing like a hollow. And what he certainly did not like was the way she bit her lip and smiled in such a lustful way that he himself felt like an apprentice willing to let himself be taught. "Oh come on! Just kidding! I'm not a little girl who sighs for any boy for a simple smile." I'd have to give him more than that, Natasha thought, though she doesn't doubt that James could give it to her.

Steve wore a smile and continued to endure the taunts of Natasha. But it was not the idea that she was one more girl who was dazzled by a model to use, which made him fall in shock. It was not the idea that she could be drawn to James by what took his breath away. What made all his nerve endings awake was her suggestive smile and the glint of mischief in her eyes. He could not look at her face without imagining her biting her lip again. He was twisted and perverse, he reproached himself. He could not see his best friend like that. His little sister.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve had given Bucky a chance and they had been doing things together for weeks. Fortunately for Steve, Natasha was almost gone. He did not like the idea of his best friend barely showing signs of life, but he still liked it less how he had behaved as a result of James's approach to her. But that was not what he dreamed of every night. Every damn night he dreamed over and over again with that rapturous smile. How could she never have smiled to him like that? And why was he looking at that now? He should not be thinking about those things. She was his friend, he loved her and he had no attraction for her. And if he felt it, which was not the case, it was immediately told, there were millions of women who turn him on much more than she did.

James had noticed that Steve was somewhat distant at first and felt that he could feel threatened, because of this he decided not to ask questions and just wait. Now it seemed he had waited long enough and had enough confidence to ask.

"Hey, why did you disappear so much a few weeks ago?" James worried. "I understand that you always spent time with the boys. Everyone was very worried."

"I had things to do. We all disappear from time to time." Steve said.

He could not tell him it was his fault. And now it sounded absurd to say that he was jealous. He could misunderstand. He felt nothing for Natasha in the sexual sense. He was jealous as a friend. He feared to lose her. That he would take his place. Or worse, she changed her way of being and became helpless romantic and seeing life pink. He could not stand to see his Tasha like that.

James did not understand Steve's successful turnaround, to change the conversation and helped him, unwittingly, to change the thread of the conversation.

"It's Natasha's turn now. Do you know what's wrong?" Bucky asked casually.

"Work. I don't know what or why, but she told me she was having hard time at work. I do not know any more!" replied Steve, expressionless.

"It seems weird. They all say that you are the best friends, inseparable, and I have never seen you two together. It's curious." James said.

The incessant interest of James for Natasha began to irritate Steve. He had convinced himself that she did not feel anything for him, but now he knew what he thought of her. He knew he liked her when he first saw her, but they never talked about it again. And if he insisted on her it could be dangerous. She could give in. And if she didn't do it, it was his duty as a friend, Steve told himself, to take the persistent men off her.

"Do you like Nat?" Steve asked spontaneously, with unfathomable expression. James was surprised by this accusation, which was how he had taken it and was simply sincere.

"I think she has the face of an angel. But I am more of girls with devil's body. You understand me." James said, smiling. "She's a good girl. She is one of those who fall in love with her innocence, but not with someone like me. I go the bad and hot girls!" he explained, drawing the figure of a voluptuous woman with his hands.

Relief mingled with irritation in the bowels of Steve. It was great to know that he was not interested and did not care that he said she was not the kind of girl he was looking at, since Steve looked exactly at the same type of lush women. But he did not like to know that he could be the target of men in love who falls in love with her innocence? Natasha? Not at all! No such thing could be said about the girl who explained to him where the children came from, when she was only five years old. And with terms that would scandalize the greatest of the beggars.

"Natasha is not a naive little girl. Although ... " Steve broke off to burst out laughing, " she may be in this aspect. She is very intelligent and strong but not feminine. It's not that she does not know the theory, " he said, bursting with more laughter," she doesn't have any practice."

"Natasha is too proud to admit that there is something she doesn't know. That's why she avoids those issues." said James, encouraging his friend's argument.

They continued to drink a few beers and shortly after they left to finish the afternoon together. James had to pick up some papers from the office and Steve returned home. But they both stayed on the spot when they saw a brunette walking distractedly towards them. Steve recognized her at the moment and just as it passed besides them, he stopped her.

"Hello!" said Steve, smiling at her, and went on quickly, noting that she was going to continue her way, not paying any attention to him. "I am Steve, Natasha's friend. You're friends, right?

"Oh! The famous Steve" answered Wanda, grinding them with a smile. "Yes, we are friends. My name is Wanda."

"I'm Steve. Although I already said it." He reproached himself for his stubborn nervousness. "He's Bucky a friend."

"James?" she asked, looking up and down.

"Yes," he answered, smiling. "Did Natasha told you about me?"

Steve didn't like the situation. Wanda's beauty disappeared from his priorities the moment he realized that Natasha had told her about James. He did not know what annoyed him more if Natasha was interested in James, that she had lied to him, or that she had more confidence with that girl, than to tell her such things. Would she go to him to talk about men? Would there be many more than he would have heard of? And why the hell didn't she told him? He wondered irritably once more.

"Natasha tells me about all her friends," Wanda explained, trying to disguise her nervousness quite successfully.

"Oh, wow! I was excited." James teased, smiling.

"Oh." Like everyone! Wanda told herself. "I have to go. There's a lot of work and if I don't appear soon Natasha would kill me." She hastened to escape.

"Wait!" Steve commanded, taking her by the arms. "Do you work together?"

"Ahm! ... I ..." Wanda swallow loudly.

"Steve!" cried James "You're scaring her!"

"I'm sorry!" Steve apologized softly.

"It doesn't matter," said Wanda, running from the place. "I have to go!" she shouted from the corner.

Steve seemed very suspicious of the girl's behavior. But he had no reason to worry. If it was strange that both could work together. Natasha was supposed to work babysitting children. And it was clear that this girl would not approach a child unless he was in charge of carrying the bags of her shopping. But there was nothing macabre about it. Even if they were hiding something, it could not be very important. But why did his friend hide things from him? Why did she trust that girl and not him? Asked Steve himself again. That Wanda was beginning to feel bad enough.

"Pretty girl," James said, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Too nervous."

"She hides something!" said Steve.

"It's clear," James said. "Shall we follow her?" he asked without caring.

"Yes," replied Steve with a casual gesture. They looked at each other, smiled, and ran after her.

Soon they passed the road that Wanda had traveled. They saw her enter the service area of a local, and were perplexed to see where it was. "The ritual" What did she do there? She had said something about Natasha. Steve thought immediately that they were going to meet, but it was impossible that this was the place of they encounter. All this was beginning to be the strangest thing, and he would discover the motive.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'm sorry for any mistake!


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Wanda ran as fast as she could until she reached the place. It was still early to open, but all the employees were already there. They had been preparing the big party for the next night. An important tycoon had booked the venue for a private party for all his partners. Natasha had not agreed, but when the man doubled his initial proposal to rent the place, she couldn't do anything. That was not good for the business. Everyone should be clear that they were just anyone else or everything would go down. She was not amused to have to close the doors to other clients much more convenient, so that a new comer presumed before all. The guy had not even deigned to face it. He had only said that he liked the criticism he had heard of the place and wanted the doors closed to the public. Natasha could not refuse and since she would have to do it, she decided to do it right, so she planned an evening that no one would forget.

Natasha was arguing for the fifteenth time with the dancers to explain that they couldn't do their normal dance. It was a party, she couldn't get on a stage and dance for those guys! It was not an alternative bar! She wanted to show the style that characterized the place. The girls were there to cheer up the party, but if there were only men or most of them, she didn't pretend to show them as meat. She had prepared a show, sexy but elegant. She would encourage the party but it would not be said that it was in bad taste.

Wanda immediately approached Natasha and told her about the meeting with the boys. Natasha smiled to ease her nervousness and reassured her.

"You didn't say anything to find out. I'll make something up. Don't worry!" exclaimed Natasha with a tender smile. "Now go up with the others to rehearse, you are late.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry ..." said Wanda in distress.

"Don't be silly. Nothing happened. Go up and get in." she ordered softly, her tone nonchalant.

If it was not enough trouble now, Natasha thought.

But the stress of work was superior to any nonsense that could be caused by two little boys who were bored and had nothing better to do than interrogate a nervous girl.

The girls were rehearsing as they should, and the few men who were there were loading the material in the direction she had indicated.

The party would be private so they wouldn't need all the staff, so she had dispensed with the male cast. Only those necessary for the security of the door, so that no one who was not invited, as well as the clients and the girls, would go. And she didn't like that either. Not only would it hurt the business being one day with the closed doors, but it would also leave many employees without a day's salary.

Angry and furious Natasha wanted to get away from everyone before ending up paying with an innocent her frustration.

James and Steve were stunned by the image of the place. They waited to see Wanda go out again or something to explain what she was doing there. Not that it was very rare to see her in a place like that, but Steve didn't agree with what she had said about meeting Natasha.

"What is she doing there?" Steve asked aloud.

"Looks like she works at that place," James said, looking at the sign. "The Ritual." I've heard of him.

"And who hasn't? It is the hot spot of the rich and famous. And no matter how much money my father has, as I am not famous, they never let me in." Steve snapped angrily.

"But wasn't she going to meet with Natasha?" James asked confused.

"I think it was an excuse or something, because she was late to work and was ashamed to say it was here." Steve speculated.

"You know how much do these girls win just to serve you a drink or dance an hour on a stage? I can assure you that no one is ashamed. Don't you choose anyone for that job? Didn't you saw what she was wearing? Her clothes are from a designer that only a rich girl can afford." remarked James seriously. "These girls don't go around naked as in any dump. In that kind of place, the girls dress demurer and in clothes more elegant than the own clients." explained James convinced.

"You seem to know this place." Steve said.

"That particular site I don't. But there are many others of equal fame." said James without regard.

"Well, I do not see the grace of seeing a girl that dress as my mother." said Steve, frowning.

"They look elegant but they are still very sexy. And there is grace. They don't need to go half-naked to be the sexiest women you've ever met in life." James said with a smile.

"Shit! I want to come in now," growled Steve.

"Someday we'll go in. But this weekend I can't. Remind me of it next week and we will go." James promised with a half smile.

Steve was happy and impatient. At least he could enter that damn place, which had been so resisted. He knew he would end up disappointed. But it was a matter of pride. Nothing had ever resisted him so much. And if all the girls who worked there were like Wanda, he would be happy to know the place. The place should be given a chance if everyone spoke so well of it. And although it still seemed very strange that Wanda worked there, he did not find any relation with Natasha. So he didn't care at all. Besides, he was going to go to the place where he had been waiting for months. Nothing was more important than that at that time. Not even Natasha!

The image of Natasha smiling erased everything and every one of the thoughts that surrounded his head. Damn it! There was no way that scene was forgotten. But a place crowded with the most beautiful and sensual women in the city could do it. Steve harbored that hope. There he would find the solution to his present problem. Although he didn't stop repeating that it was nothing, it did not stop tormenting him.

James was about to turn and leave the place. Steve seemed immersed in his thoughts and that corner didn't seem more interesting than any other until he saw the door of the room open. He was confused and very surprised he could only hit Steve in the arm so he could see the same as him.

"What's Nat doing here?" he asked in astonishment.

"What?" Steve replied immediately.

Natasha needed air before she killed someone, so she went out for a few seconds. She wore a pair of jeans that she didn't care to throw on the floor and lean against the wall. She had stained the beautiful fitted blouse she wore, so one of the guards had left her a shirt of his, it was pretty big so it could fit three like her. It reached her knees so no one could see her tight jeans more than the flared. She had learned from other days and had not put on makeup and had a tail. No one saw her so she wanted to be comfortable for the hard work. If someone came and she had to give a good impression she would only loose her tail, since she was well dressed - before staining - and didn't care that they saw her without makeup.

Natasha was cursing the world when the owner of the shirt she was wearing sat next to her. T'challa was a cocky fellow, but he had always treated her well. He respected her and made her laugh easily. He could be a charm when he wanted to. It was a pity that it didn't happen often.

"What's going on with you?" he asked, looking around distractedly, crouching down beside her.

"I have a crazy desire to go through this weekend." Natasha said, snorting.

"It's going to be a unique party," T'challa said, smiling.

"Don't tell me about the happy party."

"Don't be negative. Think of the good side. You may have to be an event planner but at least you will not have to smile at a handful of snobs from three to four. You can go from them. And who knows ... " continued T'challa with a mischievous smile. "maybe I will allow you to delight yourself with my charms, some other time."

"Good joke." Natasha said without ceasing to laugh. "You're the only one capable of making me laugh in a moment of stress like this.

"I should feel hurt in my self-esteem, but to see you smile makes up for it." T'challa said with a huge smile.

T'challa saw her burst into laughter and took her as if she was a bag of potatoes. On his shoulder he began to turn her around and order her animatedly:

"Say that I am the most wonderful man in the world." T'challa commanded her.

"I won't!" Natasha denied, still laughing.

"Say it!" he grunted amusedly.

Steve and James saw the scene astonished. They didn't understand what Natasha could be possibly doing there and they prepared to approach to ask, until the 4x4 got out and sat next to her. Then they could only look at each other and wait for the other to give it a coherent meaning. But none said anything. And they went on like this, stunned at Natasha, as if they had never seen her before. Chatting with a big man who smiled coquettishly and then dared to take her in his arms and throw her on his shoulder.

Steve could not believe what he was seeing. It was starting to seem absurd that he'd have worried that Natasha would look at a guy like James now that they saw her with that bear. And he didn't know how to react. Until he heard what he least expected.

"You are the most wonderful man in the world!" Natasha shouted before T'challa left her on the floor.

The boys watched as he released her in front of him, kissed her forehead and entered the room again. They could see that she was saying something but didn't listen to what, only saw her open her eyes wide and stared at the floor as he left.

Steve didn't like the trusts that the guy took, much less his friend's confession. That guy was not for her. Although what man would it be? He could not imagine her with a fashionable little boy, those always went with barbies. Nor with a big man like that. Although if he was sincere with himself, it was more logical than a girl so ... of his own tastes, to end with a Neanderthal like that. Nothing to do. She had to be with someone who shared her hobbies and if she dressed like a boy, then at least the guy should do it the same. And he did not say it because she dressed in his clothes, Steve affirmed himself trying to convince himself that he wasn`t hurt to see how his friend frolicked with who was probably her boyfriend.

 

* * *

 

 

Natasha was assimilating what T'challa had just said, "Two guys were watching them from the corner." It was clear that it was Steve and James. They had followed poor Wanda after she had been on her nerves with questions. Shit! One more problem to add to the list.

She was not one of those who were paralyzed by difficulties, much less fled from them. So she looked up from the floor, drawing a smile and walked towards them.

She thanked the clumsy boy who brought the coffees for spilling the chocolate over her blouse and being able to look like she used to dress in front of her friends. She grimaced with displeasure. No, she didn't thank him. The blouse had cost her a fortune, and the chocolate was hot. She evaded her thoughts and addressed her friends with the greatest serenity and normality that could be observed.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" Natasha said in greeting rather than curiosity. She knew what they didn't need to ask.

"We were on our way ..." Steve interrupted, thinking he could not say that he was going to him house because Natasha knew it wasn't in that direction – "to Bucky's house!" he concluded with satisfaction of his rapid recovery.

"Ahh!" Natasha said with a tender smile. As if she were going to swallow such stupidity, she thought.

"And you? What are you doing here?" interrupted James.

"I work here." Natasha confessed. "There's a big private party tomorrow and they needed a lot of help cleaning, assembling, picking up and hauling junk." She smiled relaxed at how sincere her own words sounded. What a liar she could become. And how proud she was of it. She had achieved so many things thanks to her inventiveness that she could never deny her. "You know," she continued, "to lend a hand and earn me a little extra money. As Wanda works here ... she has plugged me in."

"Oh!" Steve tried to pretend surprise. "Your friend works here?"

"Yes. My friend, whom you interrogated and overwhelmed with silly questions, works here. Though I suppose you deduced it by following her." Natasha said, dismissing the accusation. She couldn't avoid a wave of satisfaction at seeing them turn pale and immediately get nervous.

"We did not ..." Steve could not lie. And James followed his example from before.

"If you wanted to meet my friend, just say so. You did not have to harass her."

Natasha knew full well that this was not the reason for the questions or that they should follow. But she had managed to give an excuse, to get rid of further explanations, and also, on the way, had made them blush. When it was bad, it was the best. And how much fun! But she had to be cautious and she did not want to talk about it. So being the one who gave an excuse for their behavior was a good idea. She didn't think they could invent anything believable. Surely they would end up telling the truth and that would make her keep talking about why she is there or her friendship with Wanda. It was not convenient. But it was clear that her friends would be too busy thinking whether to rectify it or follow the farce, as if to deal with something else.

Steve had been perplexed by his friend's comment. It had been a relief to know why she was there, but when she pointed out that she knew why they were standing on that corner, he wanted a place to sink in and die of embarrassment. Luckily she thought it was to spy on such a Wanda. He thought about denying it but corrected quickly. If she thought badly it was not his fault. He hadn't lied to her, she had made poor deductions. He smiled, satisfied not to be in trouble.

The smile of Steve disappeared instantly, when he saw T'challa briefly appear to yell hurriedly to Natasha.

"Natasha! move your precious ass inside that the girls are pulling their hair. And honestly, as a man I am, I refuse to separate them and miss the spectacle." he snarled falsely and immediately went in to revel in the scene.

Steve and James waited for her reaction. It was obvious that this guy had too much confidence. It was the boyfriend, mentally corroborated both.

Natasha was growing tired of the party and of all those who would work on it. One more problem and it would end up dismembering someone. She was frustrated and tired, and there was no way it would all end in a short enough time to safeguard her mental health. T'challa's words had put her on the alert again, forgetting that her friends were still present.

"And why tell me then?" irritated Natasha whispered. "For me they can kill each other. Im sick of the…" She saw the confused face of her friends and explained something more calmly. "I have to go back. You've heard, the men refrain from getting in and it's just me left to separate them before they go bald." she joked with a huge smile. Though they were likely to be decapitated when she came in, Natasha thought.

"Hey!" Steve called her before she left. "Is that guy ... something of you?" He ask seriously.

"T'challa?" she said as if trying to remember who he was talking about. "He's the local thug. One of the porters. Why?" she asked in surprise.

"We were surprised to see you so close together before. That's why we stop." said James.

"Oh no! I went out for some air because I'm very stressed with so much work and he kept me company and wanted to cheer me up a bit. That's all." she smirk.

Natasha's word didn´t calm Steve. He was sure it was her boyfriend. And she was hiding it. The rage was growing more and more. If it was bad enough that there was a guy who occupied a more important position in his life, above she did not trust him to tell him. He did not believe the lie and he was going to discover it.

"Catching you in the arms and telling you to move "your precious ass"? A stranger, is not it?" said Steve with obvious anger.

"I didn't say I didn't know him," she said calmly. "He's a good friend. I have more friends than you, Steve. And if that irritates you, I'm sorry." said Natasha sarcastically. "Being sincere, it bothers me that you are again jealous." she continued despite his exasperated face. "You occupy the position you occupy, regardless of whether there are more people in me life or not." she said as if reading his mind. "Shit!" She lost her patience." "As if I was yours so you could always hide me from everyone." she whispered irascibly.

She didn't understand why she was creating such scenes. From childhood, if he saw her playing with another child or dared to approach him, he would frighten him and throw a tantrum. He was a possessive with his things. But she was not an object.

Steve wanted to scream. He didn't give a damn about who that guy was, where she worked or if she was hiding something from him, but he was not going to let what they had be treated as if it was "nothing." He had been a part of her life since he had reason.

It was one of the most important reasons why he returned to his father's house. His mother was unbearable and selfish, but she already knew Natasha and like her. However, his father was almost a stranger when he moved with him. But the calls were not enough to keep in touch with her. He needed her so much that he returned to the city without thinking about it. And now she despised his friendship?

"Nothing? Don't make me angry, Natasha" said Steve, approaching dangerously. "Don't say that you are not nothing of me. If you're angry, we'll talk about it." he said more calmly, "but do not say that our friendship is worth more than any other."

"That wasn't my intention" Natasha answered watching him hurt. "I'm just saying that I can't stand when you act like my big brother or my dad, and you want to lock me up so no one will come near me." she explained with a huge, tender smile. "Don't de mad baby, you know that you can't be angry for a long time with me." she said, dazzling him with a mischievous smile.

"Tasha" Steve said, pressing her harder against him. "Not even five seconds." He sighed and pulled her away. "Come on, go! You are expected to work as a referee in a close combat. If there is mud, I want photos."

"Pig!" she snapped giggling on his neck and kissed his cheek. "I'll call you when I get home. Bye." She waved them both with a soft gesture, before running off into the room.

Steve watched her walk away and smiled. That was his friend. Hard and strong with others but sweet and affectionate with him. Only with him. Although after seeing her with the big man, she probably would not behave like that alone with him. But at that moment he was not going to think about it. He still had remnants of Natasha's effects when he hugged her, and he wanted to savor them. Natasha was his home. There was no place in the world where he found himself more comfortable than in her arms. She was a great friend who could comfort him with a simple smile, said Steve.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

 

Steve looked at the door Natasha had left for a few more minutes, until his body was able to recover from the loss of her embrace. He turned and walked towards his house. When he had been walking for some time, he noticed that James was with him and looked at him with a half-mocking smile.

"Didn't you have things to do?" Steve asked in surprise.

"Yes, but I saw you so obtuse that I thought I should help you before someone runs over you or something." James mocked without a trace of fun.

"What's the matter with you?" he said, standing next to him.

"No wonder everyone thinks you're dating when they meet you guys!" cried James, frowning.

"Who?"

"Nat and you! You look like boyfriend and girlfriend!" he said seriously.

"No. Not at all. She's just my friend. My best friend. Like a sister. And as a part of my family, I don't like when she hides things from me or when she treats me as if I'm not important. She's a very special girl to me, but I could never see her in a way ... " Sexual, he asked himself and frowned. "I could not see her in a way that can corrupted our friendship.

"You can tell you have something pretty with her. But sooner or later you will fall. A friendship so strong leads to confusion." James said, still very serious.

"She's not my type at all, I'm not attracted to her. Besides, our friendship is clean and pure, I would never spoil it... With nothing." He corrected himself unable to utter such a foul word to the most important person in his life.

"Is there really zero chance that there could exist something between you? Bucky asked interested.

"Zero possibilities! But why or what? You said you weren't interested in her." Steve asked.

"I know! But the truth is, I'm really attracted to her. I liked her as soon as I saw her, but then when I tried to know her, she was very serious and she barely spoke. She was like this because you were half missing and then she barely looked up. Now I know it was because of work. But I don't think the girl I met is the real Natasha. When I saw her today with you, it was a revelation. The force with which she takes things. It's clear that she has determination." He said with a laugh." She's very intelligent. We didn't fool her for a second. And I never imagined her so sweet. When she smiles ... " He bit her lip and put his hands to his face. "I want to know her better, much better."

Steve listened attentively to everything James said and agreed with each statement. It was obvious that the boy actually liked his friend, that he didn't wanted to play with her. He remembered the image of her in the arms of the gorilla. Better than with that guy with anybody, Steve thought. James seemed to be serious, and if he wanted to conquer Natasha, he would not object. If she had to have a boyfriend, at least she would have one he could control. If he got out of line ... he would not. I wouldn't let him. But James seemed more serious than he thought in the first instance. He wouldn't play with her.

 

* * *

 

 

When night came, Natasha didn't call Steve, but went to his house. He was in bed flipping through a magazine when he entered his room. He looked at her, smiled and tossed the magazine aside.

"I wasn't expecting you." Steve said.

"I'm dead!" cried Natasha, throwing herself on the bed.

The bed was huge so they fit both with no problems. Even so, as she stretched out, Natasha placed her arm on Steve's abdomen.

"Come here!" Steve ordered, pulling her to place her on his chest. "Are you really tired?" he asked, stroking her hair. He kissed her forehead and continued combing her hair with his fingers, undoing the tail she was wearing.

"Exhausted! I will not take part in the next party they set up."

"Wow!" It's all he could say as he was concentrating on the shiny red hair between his fingers. He had never noticed how silky it was. Why would she always wear it on a tail? He was sure that loose would be an incredibly mane ... No, said Steve, I wouldn't think it was sexy. Besides, a mane couldn't be sexy. Still he had to restrain himself from asking her to get up to see how her hair was loose.

"But tomorrow everything will end," continued Natasha. "Are you listening to me?" She raised her head to look at him.

Natasha waited for Steve to respond. And he hoped to breathe again as soon as possible. Her red hair ruffled by caresses and cascading to one side, Natasha was dazzling. He had definitely been wrong, Steve thought, she was gorgeous! Her huge green eyes were completely hanging over him, her red hair accentuating the softness of her neck and the fleshy, parted lips. A beauty!

Oh God!

Natasha began to grow impatient, and as an act of anxiety over the dumbness of her friend, she bit her lip. Steve felt his whole body tense and his heart began to beat at a thousand beats per second. As soon as his body let him run out of bed and went to the bathroom. He couldn't see Natasha as a woman. It was Tasha. Damn it, he reproached himself. If he hadn't realized before how beautiful she was it was because she was a friend to respect, not to fantasize about. And he was sure that the image he had just seen would torment him that very night. She couldn't be so miserable as to ignore his friend simply because she looked beautiful. He would leave the bathroom and act as usual. After all, being pretty didn't change anything. He was still attracted to another class of women. Those who play to madden him with desire, sexy and daring! And Natasha was not one of those! He would go out and talk to her for what she was, a friend, Steve thought sharply. As soon as the problem was passed, of course.

A few minutes later Steve had managed to calm down and leave, more relaxed, to his room. He looked at the bed and she was still there. She had put on the ponytail again, and her hair had once again become the crumb of old hair. She was looking the magazine he had left earlier and frowned. He knew her and knew exactly what she was reading. He sighed, relaxed. She was back to being the one he knew. He didn't know what that strange, sexy woman had looked like, but luckily for him it had disappeared. In front of him was the girl with whom he played basketball whenever they could, the one who accompanied him to watch football, the one that got him out of the mess, where she was usually the one who got him, and of which he was sure she knew each detail of his life. Whatever happened to her lately would disappear. Maybe it was the discovery that others saw her differently, which provoked that. But she had not changed and he did not want her to. And much less that changed their relationship.

"Nat, I have something to tell you," said Steve, approaching the bed.

"If it's what you did in the bathroom, save it!" Natasha said, immersed in what she was reading.

"It's not!" He blushed for a moment, until he realized that she was referring to another action that covered a basic need, for which the toilet was designed, not the one he had actually covered. He relaxed and smiled. It was a simple coincidence that his little problem emerged in front of her. And he just made it disappear.

"Well, tell me." Natasha said, putting the magazine aside.

"I wanted to talk to you about James." he said, sitting down on the bed in front of her.

"Again? What do you want to know now? We barely see each other; don't you think we'll sneak around or something?" she acknowledged thoughtfully. She didn't have the strength or desire for another argument.

"Quiet. We spent time together and I discovered that he is a good guy."

"How sexy!" she said sarcastically, disconcerting her friend. It had been a long time without controlling what she said and it had become normal that the only topic of talk were bad men and how bad they could become in the domain where it was allowed: the bed. But now she was not with the girls and she had to control herself. "What about him?"

"He told me that he likes you." he said calmly.

"That has been said a long time ago. What is the news?" she asked, not understanding where his friend was going.

"We knew that he thought you were pretty, now he has confirmed that he wants to know you more deeply." explained Steve as slowly and carefully as if he were talking to a retarded or a baby who is just beginning to speak.

"And?" Natasha said, losing her temper. If she could not bear to treat her like a fool, even less that he begged so much. It was clear that he thought he would scandalize her or something.

"Come on. All the girls at the university would kill for a chance with him and you don't even consider him. Don't you like him or you don't like men?" he teased, not sure he heard the answer.

"Oh sure. If everyone likes him I have to like him. By that overwhelming logic I should be naked under your sheets waiting for you and begging for you to make me yours, just like the whores that throw to you everyday.

Dammit! He was trying to see her as a boy even though she was clearly speaking that she was a woman with desires for other men. Why did she have to say that? "Naked under your sheets waiting for you and begging for me to become yours." It would not be easy to forget or ignore. But they were friends, and he had to joke like a cocky man who doesn't take anything seriously.

"You're halfway done. You're already in bed. Now all you need to do is take off your clothes and I'll do the rest." Steve joked, praying that their relationship would not be ruined for a sex joke.

"How lazy! We'll leave it for another day." continued Natasha with the joke. She had barely noticed that it was the first time they'd joked about sex between them. It was something so frequent in her day to day, that it didn't seemed different to her. She used to prick frequently with all the men she knew, being difficult, as they reproached her.

"So?" he asked, relaxed by the normality with which she had taken the joke.

"What?"

"What do you think of Bucky?" he wanted to know impatiently.

"Ahh! Can I be totally sincere?"

"Yes. Otherwise I would not ask."

"I've never spoken to you like that before, so it could sound strange." Natasha said skeptically.

"No problem. We are friends and we can tell each other everything." he said, smiling.

"Okay! Physically he's my type. But I have hardly had a chance to meet him. So I can't talk about his personality. But ... " she continued before he interrupted her "I'm one of those who think he has to attract you from the first moment. That when the time will pass you can start to love someone is bullshit. With time only care is achieved. If the chemistry is not given from the first moment, it will never be given.

"And is there chemistry between you two?" he asked calmly.

"Bucky doesn't go unnoticed but I really don't like being unable to say that I know him. But yes, he attracts me." Natasha confessed delicately.

"He will love to know." said Steve, smiling.

"If he finds out. Because you will not tell him and I don't know if I want him to know. I don't need a cupid. I have managed very well without you so far. Besides, I have some unresolved issues." she said, thinking that if Bruce could listened to the conversation, he would immediately execute her two friends. Although she was sure that if he could do such a thing, he would extend the sentence to all attractive heterosexual men. And everyone else, too.

"The gorilla is your boyfriend?" he asked grimly.

"T´challa? I'd like to." Nat teased, bursting into laughter. "What I meant is that I'm not into having a boyfriend. You know me, I've never had any - formal, she thought - And I'm not sure I want to have it. Besides, that has to be given, not planned. And I'm surprised that you agree. I thought that on the day that I have a boyfriend you would campaign against him, not in favor of being thrown out. So needy do you see me?" she snorted in a clown tone.

"I can't imagine you with a boyfriend at all. But if you have to have one, at least, he can be trustworthy" explained Steve relaxed.

"Trustworthy? What a shit cupid you are. Come on." she said, shaking his hair as she got up. "I'm going to be late."

"You take care yourself for me" he said, throwing himself on the bed.

"That's what I tell you! That I don't want to be aunt ahead of time." she joked, walking to the door. "Until Monday. I'll call you Sunday to see what's up, if I have any free space. Bye."

Natasha was surprised at how well Steve was taking on the changes that were emerging. He had not protested at the thought of one of his friends hovering over her and even encouraged her to become engaged. He had joked about sex and had not been uncomfortable, nor had anything broken in their friendship. It could be that she had been mistaken in hiding him how she really was with men. Maybe he could distinguish between how to deal with friends and with the rest.

Steve thanked heaven for not seeing her again until Monday. He had enough time to think about everything that had happened. His best friend was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He could not forget that image just inches from him. He had heard her joke about sex, talk about men, and behave like a woman. Safe and clear ideas. And it had been tremendously sexy. He seemed to be dealing with two different people, and he had all weekend to think what to do. Join them? No, that wasn't possible. Could the new disappeared or continue to ignore her existence? That was for the best, even if he has no idea how to do that.

 

* * *

 

 

After a sleepless night, Steve dawned, surprisingly cool. He had thought over and over about Natasha, James, and the gorilla at the club. Not to mention all the lotteries he had armed, imagining how many boyfriends she had or how they would have been. But then he had discarded it. Still Natasha, she had no experience in the field. And she herself had affirmed that night. It was stupid to be thinking about such things, he told himself before deciding to get some sleep.

When he got up and had breakfast, he could not avoid thinking about the same subject again. To clear up he stayed with James to play basketball for a while. And he wouldn't talk about Natasha.

He was making a movie in his head for nothing, he thought. That she was a woman and he would have ignored her so far, doesn't make her more attractive than the others. What was happening to him was that he was not ussed to such female behavior. If they were given more often they would get used to it and stop caring.

 

* * *

 

 

Natasha slept placidly more hours than she had slept in all that week. Luckily she had no classes and she was able to sleep, which she needed urgently. She did some homework, ate herself relaxed, and prepared for the night. She would need all her patience -which was too little- so she won't end up throwing a thousand things at the wealthy millionaire who had rented the place. She wanted to be hours before everything started to make sure everything would work out as it should and spent the afternoon adjusting to be perfect. When she arrived at the place she found it open, which only surprised her in part. The manager was as obsessive with perfection as she. No doubt her boss had been in charge of contracting two obsessive-compulsive on purpose so that every detail was solved before it could spoil the least.

"Sam, tell me at least that you slept in your house!" Natasha teased, approaching him.

"Yes, and I even showered and changed my clothes," he sneered, as if he'd made a sacrifice.

"What are you doing here so early?" she scolded him with a tender tone.

"I make an inventory of the things that are for the party. The things that are going to break, that is, everything! And what we will need tomorrow to open as always. "Sam explained, still looking at the papers in his hands. "And you?"

"I've been thinking about lowering the lights a little all day so that the place is not so empty, so I came to do some tests. And by the way, the inventory has been ready since last week! Stop with the stress!" Natasha said sympathetically. Sam sighed and looked away from his papers.

"Let's see those lights. I see you different." he said in surprise.

"I do not have a cleavage." Natasha said simply.

"Yes, that's it." he said nonchalantly, walking toward the light control.

 

* * *

 

 

Steve had stayed with his friends, like every weekend. He met with Sharon, like every weekend. And he got lost with her, like he did every weekend.

"Let's go to my place?" Almost asked Sharon.

"No. Later. "It's still early." Steve snapped, looking around as if looking for something better to catch his eye.

"So what do we do then?" she demanded.

"You can do whatever you want. I just saw someone who told me he would not go out today and there he is Entering "The Ritual"!" Steve exclaimed surprised before running off, leaving Sharon behind.

 

* * *

 

 

It had been hours since the party had started, and except for some mishap, everything was coming out perfect, but the bloody guy who had asked to make such an event, still didn't show. Natasha was even more furious than before. And she thought that wasn't possible. She asked everyone to come and tell her, as she should welcome him or a kick his ass, which is exactly what she wanted.

It couldn't be! One of the security guys accompanied James as she had asked to be dealt with Mr. Barnes. And to make sure it was him, running out of hope, she saw the man gesturing that this was the guy he was waiting for.

Natasha wasn't one to see surprise on her face, so she walk along the wide track, crossing the room almost completely to face him, face to face. A moment of tension earlier when they had met, both paralyzed, but she regrouped with a smile and did her job.

"Welcome, Mr. Barnes! I hope everything is to your liking." she repeated monotonously, making it clear that she did it very often and was no one special.

"Natasha?" James mumbled, looking her up and down.

"Natasha Romanoff at your service for one night. I think neither knew the other's last name. Or at least, I can assure you that I didn't. "

"I think I'm the cause of your work stress," James said more relaxed.

"You are!" she corroborated expressionlessly.

James hadn't recognized her when he saw her. He had stared at her because she was the most beautiful woman in the room. But the closer he got to her, the more he remembered that face of someone, and when she spoke he knew. Her face was no longer angelic, and although it was a pity, it was not reprehensible. Her eyes were striking causing all the attention to be gathered in them, marked with the makeup was impossible to stop looking at them. Her lips were barely colored; her cheekbones were marked without any artificial color visible. Everything made her green eyes two precious emeralds that everyone wanted to admire. And her red hair collected in two bunches on each side. Her image was flirty and neat. She wore a spice of Chinese kimono or a dress of that style, over black pants. These did not look good because the kind of toga reached below the knee. But it was tight-fitting and short-sleeved, which made him admire her curves and the perfection of her chest. But it was a turtleneck, with a small opening beneath a shoulder, typical of oriental clothing. Discreet and tremendously sensual. He had not been able to articulate words until she spoke.

"Anyway ..." Natasha drew his thoughts out with a sigh. "At least I can get revenge for the bad times you've put me through." she said with a smile.

"So you're a waitress here?" James asked, regaining his composure.

"I'm HR." she explained without emotion.

"Oh!" he said, proclaiming the merit of the feat. "Congratulations! Are you going to take advantage of the job to get back at me?"

"Don`t need to! I have better resources." she said with a malevolent smile.

"Should I ask for a bodyguard?" James asked, still laughing.

"Oh no! I would never hurt you physically." Natasha said, approaching him until she brushed her lips against his cheek and continued to his ear. "Sexual frustration is much more painful." she explained with a laugh before she turned to leave and perplexed.

Oh blessed God! Had he said that the dress, or whatever the hell it was, was discreet?

Watching her wiggle in front of him to leave, he began to notice how the pants made pressure on the area of the fly. That damn toga could not hold more than the small cuffs and the neck, exposing its velvety back and small waist. You could see much better the black tight pants that started very low on her hip and shaped all their curves. All the blood was accumulating to James in the same area and it seemed that it was going to explode. That damn garment was non-existent from behind and promised that sweet back would be soft to the touch And he wanted to prove it!

Natasha seemed to hear his thoughts because just before leaving the room, she turned and smiled wickedly. She knew in the state in which she had left him and cleared him with just a look that had been premeditated. That woman was diabolical and never in his life he had liked anyone more than in that moment, James swore.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

 

Natasha left the room and entered her territory, that day was empty, the VIP zone. She laughed without ceasing, remembering James's face. But she had to admit that he was hot with that black silk shirt that fit his hard muscles. The week had improved remarkably fast, Natasha told herself, smiling at the possibilities that night.

 

* * *

 

 

 

James was able to walk, although he didn’t know exactly how could he, and he chased the devil incarnated in a woman's body that was driving him crazy. He opened the door she had entered a few minutes earlier and found her. She was sitting in a half-circle, cushioned, cushioned, and completely tilted. Leaning on one elbow, she looked at him with a mischievous smile. He just stared at her from the doorway, gaping at her, admiring her. She could see without difficulty the glitter of desire in his eyes and decided it was the perfect time to be a very bad girl.

 

“I'm exhausted! You've made me work a lot." Natasha said, but he didn’t answer. "Do you think there's anything you can do?" she asked, faking indifference.

"I can give you the best massage you will ever have.” said James, slowly approaching, like a panther. "Take that thing off and I'll prove it to you!" he snorted anxiously.

“The advantage of "this thing" is that I don’t need to remove it for you to give me a massage. The back is uncovered." she explained quietly.

"It's not in the back where I want to give you the massage." he said almost without a voice.

 

Natasha looked at him as if she had not said anything that might incite him to release his livid face and smiled, showing him that she had the power, the certainty of being able to control herself and to handle him at her whim. James wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked. He wanted to tell her how sensual she was. He wanted to tell her how much he was attracted to her. He wanted to tell her how perverse she was. He wanted to tell her many things ... but he didn’t say anything. Without even realizing it, he had thrown himself on her, catching her by the waist, pressing her hard against his hard body and invading her mouth without compassion.

 

Both of them enjoyed the kiss that was becoming less violent and more sensual. He took a second to breathe and she drew the inside of his lips with the tip of her tongue, causing a chill of excitement in him. Natasha parted and smiled proudly that his body responded with so much complicity with hers. Bucky couldn’t stand those seconds without his mouth on hers and lunged at her again. But a voice took him out of the ecstasy he was in.

 

"Chief!" T’challa interrupted at the sight of them. "Sorry!”

"It's okay." Natasha said, pulling James off with difficulty, because he didn’t want to separate even a millimeter. "What happened? And don’t call me boss! I've told you a thousand times that I'm not your boss. It’s Sam who has to give the explanations.

“Ok! As if someone did. But this is up to you. A boy outside says he knows Mr. Barnes and needs to talk to him for a moment.”

"If he's on the list, let him in." Natasha said without concern for the problem.

“He’s not, I checked it. And he says to warn Mr. Barnes. He said his name and surname without me telling him, so I imagine he really knows him." T’challa explained.

"James" Natasha called him to take responsibility for what was happening. "I think you should see who it is.”

“Let him in and enjoy the party, I don’t care. I'm not moving from here." James said bluntly.

“He didn’t ask to come in. He just said he wanted to talk to you." T’challa said coldly.

“Bucky don’t be stubborn and go and see what’s going on!” Natasha ordered as if she was dealing with a disobedient child.

"You're going to be a very bossy girlfriend," James said, frowning.

“It's a request?” Natasha teased with a mischievous grin.

“It’s a fact!” Bucky said, standing up.

 

James followed T’challa and cursed under his breath as Natasha burst out laughing. He didn’t want to go and see who the hell was bothering at the door. What he wanted was to be with Nat and continue what they were doing. When he said she was beautiful and sensual, it wasn’t even the start. And to say that she was perverse was a total foolishness. It was the personification of all evil. And how he liked it ...

 

* * *

 

Natasha could not help her curiosity and followed them to the door. When she arrived he could not see the boy who was waiting because those two robust men covered him. Although she could distinguish an equal figure of athletic. Although she could distinguish the voice without problems.

 

"Hey, what are you doing here? Didn’t you told me you had business to attend to?” Steve complained, clearly annoyed.

 

As soon as she heard that it was her friend, she immediately turned her back to them. No one had noticed her presence but she was unable to move because she didn’t want attract attention.

 

“And that's what I’m doing. It’s here that I’ve gathered all the members of my father's company. Well, now mine." James said, frowning. "I didn’t want to eat in front of the poor because, I know you're dying to come here and if I had told you I would have sounded harsh, because I could not invite you even if I wanted to. I organized it to introduce myself to everyone. And showing up with a friend from university doesn’t provoke much respect." he explained, leaning against the door frame.

 

Steve could see what was in front of him when James move, the figure of a goddess. She had her hair pulled up and he hated that the women didn’t wear it loose. But with her he would make an exception. With a waist like that and a hips that incited to sin, not to mention her naked back ... He could let go of her hair himself, he thought eagerly, making it fell on his bare chest, which at that moment rose and fell with tempestuous rhythm It was perfect! But he couldn’t put himself like that for a girl he hadn’t even seen her face, only her back. It was absurd. So why was his whole body tense? Steve wondered, cursing the uncontrolled hormones. At least, he had one thing clear, that night he wouldn’t dream of Natasha. Because he was more than certain that this sensual woman would capture his dreams for many nights.

 

“Steve, Steve!” cried James, drawing him out of his thoughts, shaking him softly.

“What?” Steve managed to react.

"Well, I have to get into the party," James explained, looking inward at the attentive gaze of Steve. He was alarmed for a few seconds. It was clear that Steve had never seen Natasha like that, and James had no intention of changing that. He realized that the foolish face of Steve was the product of the excitement, not that he had recognized her. And that made his idea stronger that he would never see her so neat. Steve had been blind for a long time and had not even noticed the beauty they all saw, but it would not have the same effect if I saw her like this. "They are waiting for me." James went on to explain. "We'll see each other tomorrow, okay?

 

But Steve didn’t answer, didn’t even listen. The body that screamed for his attention, had begun to wobble, entering the premises. Each movement was sensual and breathtakingly perfect. Until it was lost behind the curtains of the entrance. His heart felt abandoned and he wanted to cry. What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn’t go on like this. First he starts to have inappropriate thoughts with his best friend and now ... He would be able to give the last breath to a stranger whom he had not even seen the face. But his body told him it was made for him, he recognized it instantly. Every fiber of his skin felt comfortable with that presence. Something told him that they were meant to unite and complement each other. How absurd! Thought Steve, the only one that made him feel at home, where he found a home in his embrace, was Nat. She was that special person you would never want to lose and didn’t think she could do the same in the sexual realm. I didn’t believe that there was a single woman with whom you had everything necessary to continue your existence, without looking at any other. Could it exist?

 

Steve was becoming increasingly frustrated. He had gone from having as many women as he wanted to think impossible. He said goodbye to James with a confused gesture and left to look for Sharon. He was sick of women he couldn’t have. He wanted to have them? Natasha and that stranger? No, of course not, he reprimanded furiously as he hit the ground with each step. Sharon was everything a man could wish for. He would have her that night and all the ones he needed and the rest of the time he had his friends, with whom he had fun! And Natasha! Steve remembered, stopping short. He would always have her. She was his family and had nothing to do with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! Thank you so much for reading, I promise to upload soon and fast! thank yo and sorry for my english, my native is spqnish! Sorry and Thank you!


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 12

 

 

The previous night Steve had found no consolation in Sharon's bed. As soon as he closed his eyes he found himself immersed in the darkness of a hall. He walked and walked and he could not find anything or anyone. He saw a light at the end and ran to it. He stopped short at the silhouette of the most delicious woman he had ever seen. She was naked and recognized the soft curve of her back, small waist and exquisite hips. Without thinking about it, he ran to her and hugged her to him, turning her to see her face ...

 

 

“Nat!” yelled Steve, waking up sweaty.

 

He gasped incessantly trying to locate where he was and what had happened. All he remembered was the last image. Large green eyes riveted on him with red hair floating, outlining the perfect features of her face.

 

“Did you had a nightmare?” Sharon asked, pulling him against her.

 

Steve let her lie down and let her lay on his chest. With his arms at the back of her neck, he looked up at the ceiling and avoided touching her. A nightmare? Definitely. Natasha was too special to be reduced to anything sexual. He couldn’t believe that he had degraded her to the point of including her in such a fantasy. He had to end those stupidities or his friendship would go down. And he could not lose her. Something was happening to him and as soon as he knew what it was and solved it, it would be everything as it always was.

 

He got up without the slightest care for his bed-mate and began to dress. Lately his life was being a mental chaos and he had to talk about it with someone. He was going to talk to Natasha and ... No, he couldn’t talk to her about it. He would find James and tell him everything. Yes, that would. Decided to put on his pants in a single jerk and bare chest and shoes in hand came out of the room.

 

Sharon swirled the sheet over her body and followed him in confusion.

 

“Where are you going?” she shouted from the top of the stairs.

“I have to go. There's something I have to do. We'll see each other in college." Steve said, closing the door behind him.

 

He wasn’t sure if he knew the exact address of James but when he found his car in front of a huge mansion, he knew he had found it. He walked to the door and rang the bell. No answered. He called again. Minutes later James appeared behind the door. Wet and in a swimsuit, he looked at Steve strangely as he combed his hair that was falling down his forehead, with his hands.

 

“Steve? What are you doing here?” he asked in surprise.

“Am I interrupting something?” said smiling Steve.

"I was spending the day with a good company, actually." James confirmed earnestly.

 

With a woman? That was clear With the beautiful nymph from the night before? That idea made Steve angry. If that girl was there with him ... he would not be held responsible for his actions, Steve thought furiously. In those moments he didn’t care if his jealousy was absurd and unjustified. He would be able to kill him with his hands.

 

“With whom?” he wanted to know furiously.

“With my girlfriend! We wanted to tell you ..." he couldn’t say another word because he found a hard hand pressing his neck.

 

Girlfriend? He had a girlfriend? The very pig had told him about conquering Natasha when he already had another. Now he would kill him with his hands. With her friend, nobody played with Natasha!

 

“Steve, let me go. I don’t want to fight you" James mumbled, almost breathless.

 

He had no intention of letting go. He would grind it to blows until it was unrecognizable, and even the most desperate woman in the world would not notice him. He warned him what it meant to mess with her. He was lucky, Natasha had not given him the time so it would not be necessary to kill him for having broken his friend's heart. But the mere fact of having tried to justify a beating.

"To fight, there must be two for the fight." He heard behind them, and they followed each other with a glance from where the voice came from. "And I'm afraid, sweetie, you're out of action here." Natasha concluded with a smile.

 

Sweatie? She was his girlfriend. Steve released James more for the loss of strength than for duty. Natasha was in front of him, her angelic face, her wet hair and a huge bathrobe. She looked like a little girl in her dad's bathrobe. So sweet, innocent and pure. A wave of anger ran through his body. Pure? Not that much. He had spent the night there with this guy and they would have ... Without thinking he picked up James by the neck. He didn’t measure his strength and lifted him off the floor and squeezed until all the blood had gathered on his face, making it look completely red. Natasha was alarmed and ran to them.

 

“Steve, Steve!” she shouted, trying to pull his arms away from her boyfriend's neck. "Let go!” she ordered frustrated that she couldn’t separate them.

"I'm going to kill him for what he's done to you." Steve said without rationalizing.

“He didn’t do anything to me. He didn’t do anything to me!” Natasha repeated trying to convince him “We haven’t done anything!” she moaned, pulling him away from him.

 

James fell to the floor coughing non-stop and Natasha settled on her knees beside him. Steve watched as she cradled his head in her lap and felt that nothing was as it should be. He had behaved like an orangutan and they were ... together. It seemed unreal and frightening. He was scared and disgusted at the same time, but he knew that if it would happened again he would do exactly the same thing.

 

“You're a beast!” Natasha snapped at him, stroking James's hair and breathing normally.

 

Steve did not say anything, just continued to stare impassively at them.

 

"It was not like I had imagined you'd take the news," James tried to joke even with difficulty.

“And what were you expecting? To be glad that you have deceived an innocent child, who turns out to be my best friend?” he snarled angrily.

"Nothing happened last night." Nat said, rising from the floor. "But if it had happened it would not have been your business. James and I have started a relationship so get used to it and leave the airs of brother protector, is not necessary.”

“I care about you. That guy can take advantage of you being ... " He fell ashamed.

“Virgin? Unknown? Innocent? What stupidity were you going to say? Don’t you know me? I remind you that it was me who defended you at school when the children wanted to beat you and insult you for going with a girl instead of guys as you were supposed to. I remind you that it is to me that you always come for advice because I am more cunning and much more responsible than you. I remind you ... I'm old enough to fuck in half a country if I feel like it." shouted Natasha furiously.

"Easy beautiful," James said, embracing her from the side. "He only cares about you. I'm glad he's like this. But, " he continued, looking at Steve, "if you do something similar again and I would forget that you are my friend and like a brother to my girlfriend.”

 

Girlfriend! Steve felt a dagger nailed to his heart. There was Natasha, hating him and in the arms of another, her boyfriend. He had plenty left in that scene, possibly also in his life. He rubbed his face with one hand, waiting for the image to change. It wasn’t happening. He decided to leave them as they had asked and left the house.

 

Natasha had felt as usual when she was with Steve, like a naive and stupid child. He thought she couldn’t get a man to want her or even like her, if not to deceive her. But she was not the virginal girl he thought and was tired of hearing him talk about her like that.

 

She realized that it was possible that she had gone to far with the rage of thinking that Steve considered her a naive fool, as she saw how he was leaving. She had been drawn into the idea that Steve thought that the only reason a man wanted to sleep with her was to defuse her. But she took a deep breath and followed.

 

"Steve" Natasha said in a whisper. But he listened and stopped. "We talked all night about us and made plans to be together. I'm very excited about him." she said, leaving the house completely, barefoot on the asphalt. She walked toward him, his back to her, and she hugged him around the waist. "Can you just be happy for me?"

 

His Tasha. His tender, sweet Tasha, Steve thought, caressing her hands that joined his abdomen. He just wanted her to be happy. And if she was, he would be with her. But he wouldn’t let them hurt her. He didn’t like being left out of her life. But at that moment he knew that whatever happened, they would always be together.

"Nat." He turned and hugged her to his chest. "I'll always be there for what you need," Steve said, kissing her wet hair. "But don’t expect me to just sit there if I see you being hurt."

"Well," Natasha said, fanning the air with her long lashes as she blinked. "But try to ask first whether they hurt me or not." she replied with a face of genuine innocence.

 

Steve stared at the little girl in his arms. She looked so fragile and vulnerable. He just wanted to protect her from the world, and he would. He smiled as he saw the girl's face like she was waiting for her father's reprimand as she pressed her lips together anxiously and looked at him with her huge green eyes, like an abandoned puppy. He couldn’t help it and burst out laughing as he held her tightly against him. If anything he was sure, he was the only one she allowed to see her so vulnerable. She feared losing him, Steve knew, as much as he did to her. But that would never happen, he affirmed as he pressed her even harder against him.


	8. Chapter 8

Natasha left Steve with James in the pool while she went to change. In the main bedroom’s bathroom, she brushed her hair while she remember the night before. James had chased her around the place while she was solving problem after problem. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he cornered her and kissed her passionately.

“You're mine!” James had said in a choked voice of excitement. "Let's get out of here." he plead.  
“Mens! They're all so possessive.” Natasha joked in response.  
“I don’t want a one night adventure, I want you to be my girlfriend. I don’t care how it sounds. I need you near me." he had explained.

Natasha smiled happily at the mirror in front of her as she remembered how the two of them had spent the night talking, laughing to tears and getting to know each other better. Nothing else had happened because they were so immersed in knowing everything about the other that they couldn’t do otherwise. They ended up cuddling in the huge bed. She’d woken up and went to that same bathroom. She had washed her face, removed all her clothes and put one of Bucky’s T-shirts. When she went to the room, he was already awake and stared at her amazed. With her face without a trace of makeup, her hair in disarray and the shirt halfway down her thigh, she leaned against the doorframe, smiling at the enchanted man in front of her.

“I like you much more like that.” he had said swallowing with difficulty.

She looked very innocent, but James was not fooled. He knew she was the devil incarnated. She was so sexy that it made his body tense and harder than it had ever been. To appease the moods and their own hormones, James had suggested a swim in the pool. To which she had agreed without thinking. But he had not realized the danger it entailed until she told him he had no bathing suit and would get into the pool with only the thong. Before he could protest she had taken off her shirt and dived into the water. And James had followed her almost automatically. They met in the center and after several games and laughter, they had begun to kiss, raising both the temperature of the water and their touches. But then the doorbell rang. Cursing he left the pool and went to open Steve.

Natasha dropped the brush on the marble and smiled again. Steve had interrupted them, but nothing was between them. Her friend would understand that he could not get between them and let them be together. The night before, Natasha had asked James not to tell Steve anything about her "other" life. She explained that she didn’t want their friendship to be damaged with those kinds of games and provocations. She knew that Steve would never be interested in her but other ones could be a heavy load.

“I have no intention of advancing the inevitable.” James had said with a flash of sadness.

She didn’t understood what he was talking about but was happy that he wasn’t going to say anything to her friend.

Natasha put on her black pants and James's shirt again. She met again with the guys who were talking about the unexpected news: them. James had twisted the story a little, inventing a meeting while he was leaving the club and she was going after taking care of the children like every Saturday. Steve saw the glint in James's eyes and knew that it was him who was in her reds. Natasha wasn’t his victim. He sighed in relief and continued to listen to the story.  
“And we talked all night until we fell asleep.” explained James with a huge smile “Did you know that we both crack the same leg the same year?”  
“Wow! You’ve talked about everything." replied an smiling Steve “ She broke it by jumping from her window to meet me one afternoon when she was grounded. That day she learned what the stairs were invented." he joked with a tender and excited laugh as he remembered that girl capable of risking the worst for not being late for her daily appointment with him.  
“How crazy!” James exclaimed laughing.  
“Thank you, I love you too." Nat said sarcastically, approaching and sitting next to James.  
"I adore you." James said, hugging her and crushing her cheek with a loud kiss. "My shirts fit you better than me." He looked her up and down.  
“Good, because I consider this one a gift." she reported amused.  
“If I were you, I wouldn’t show her much of your wardrobe. My shirts disappear every day. Sometimes they re-appear and sometimes they don’t." Steve teased, covering himself to avoid the blows covered by his friend who had thrown herself at him to beat him for the accusation. "It's a lie. It's a lie!” - Steve finally gave in – “She always returns them." he said as he pulled her onto his legs.  
“Funny!” she said, squeezing his cheeks with her hands and getting up to sit next to James.

Suddenly, Steve felt freeze. He felt helpless and abandoned, while she curled up on James's arm and rested her head on his shoulder. Maybe the same contacts as before were no longer allowed? Until then he had not realized how intimate they were. But they didn’t touch each other in a lascivious manner or with any malicious intent. It was pure love. Nothing had to change because she had a boyfriend. Although he could get angry or jealous, Steve understood. But if James wanted to be with Natasha, he would have to put up with the relationship she had with Steve because he had no intention of allowing her to change. Although maybe she did, Steve feared sorry.

Nat saw the grief in Steve's face. Her heart sank when she saw him. He was immersed in his thoughts, probably afraid of change. She asked James to go get something to drink and then disappear for a while. She got up and sat down in the seat next to Steve, drew one of her arms and embraced him by the waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

“You will always be special for me.” Natasha stated with her head buried in her chest. “Nothing is going to change, I promise!”

He stroked her cheek again and smiled at her, staring into her eyes.

“Is he special to you?” Steve asked, realizing that she could end up replacing him.  
“I like him a lot” said Natasha climbing up to his neck to wrap it in her arms and lay her head on one of them. “But you are my Steve. No matter how many people you know and how special they may be, no one can match the friendship we have created.”  
“Yes." He sighed in relief.  
“And now let's get rid of you feeling like a girl who has been dumped by her boyfriend.” Tasha teased, although she wanted to sorrow the emotional moment.  
"As sweet as ever." Steve snapped sarcastically as he broke into laughter.

She knew that they would have to adjust to the new situation. She worried that James might be jealous of Steve, but she had no intention of getting away from him. Steve had been a part of her, throughout her life. An extension of herself. She had invented a whole life to mate with him, avoiding problems of any kind. She was not going to spoil what they had accomplished for nothing. In addition, she was unable to separate from Steve. He had become a basic necessity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!! i'm back!! i'm soo sorry, i was really busy first with exams and now with work! but i'm back again!   
> so, first sorry for any mistake, as you know english is not my native language but i'm trying to get better everyday, i do accept advices, just don't be mean, not because of my feelings, i couldn't care less, but because I can be meaner and I don't want that...  
> so anyways, thank you all for reading this and i have a surprise! i will upload a new story soon!
> 
> much love to everyone and a really late merry christmas!


	9. chapter 9

Natasha was somewhat upset. On Sunday night there were very few people in the place. She knew it was because of the closed-door party. She warned her boss of the consequences it would entail, but he was blinded by James's fortune. She couldn’t blame her boyfriend for that. But she was furious and frustrated. She had to do something to make her regular customers feel special and know that the doors of "The Ritual" would always be open to them.

“What's wrong with you?” James asked, worried about her self-absorption, while playing with her hair.  
“Nothing. And you're knotting my hair." she protested irritably.  
“You still think that because of me you have lost your customers, right?” he snapped sadly.  
“No, of course not." Natasha said hastily rising from his lap to look at his face "You have nothing to do. It's just that I can’t think of a way to get their attention again." She said with a frown.  
“I'm sure you'll think of something." James affirmed, pressing her against him. He stroked her hair and conveyed all the serenity she didn’t have.

Steve had relaxed a little. He spent the night thinking things calmly. His behavior had been absurd. He loved Natasha a lot but, he didn’t care who she was with. He was just worried because she is his friend. But he knew there was no drama going on.

After classes he went out to go to the gardens, as always the boys were under the usual tree, and next to them was a bulge, if it had not been because he recognized them, it would have been impossible to think that they were two people. Natasha was sitting in James's lap, her face buried in his chest, while he caressed her and kissed her hair. It didn’t bother him, Steve told himself and went to meet the others.

“Hi guys." Steve said, making room. "What were you talking about?”  
“What else could we talk about?” Rumlow pointed out reluctantly. "The couple of the year. It was odd for everyone”  
“They don’t hit at all.” affirmed Sharon looking with a grimace of displeasure towards Natasha and James.

Steve continued to listen to the comments and derogatory criticism without paying much attention, watching as his friend tousled and laughed out loud with her boyfriend. They were not a real couple, Steve thought. They looked more like twin siblings dressed the same. The only thing that differentiated them was her long hair. James would have to be with a more flirtatious, seductive girl, the kind he liked. And Tasha ... with nobody, he said bluntly. She was not going after a boyfriend. It was obvious. More than a few lovebirds, they looked like two siblings fighting in hoax. He watched her turn her back and James began to massage her shoulders. Steve had given her millions. That didn’t mean anything. He watched as he lowered his hands down her back and tucked them under his shirt. She stretched out on his chest and laid her head on his shoulder. It didn’t matter if the shirt was wide, it was known that James was caressing Natasha's belly. That was not a damn brother!

Steve, not knowing what emotion was seizing him, got up leaving everyone with the word in their mouth. Without explaining or saying goodbye, he walked to the parking lot, thinking about the image he had seen. These days he had noticed that she was beautiful. And it had been hard for him to admit it. But he never considered that under a man's clothing there was a woman's body. He knew she was a woman. It was evident that she would be thin. But the way in which James admired his body said that there was much more than could be appreciated. Would she have a beautiful body? He cursed himself and hit the air with rage, surprising everyone around him. He couldn’t think of those things. But then another idea passed through his mind or rather repeated, hammering his skull. "James had admired her body." That meant ... They had cheated him! James knew her body perfectly. It was clear that he had seen her naked and she had no qualms about being touched. SHIT! At that moment he was clear about what his emotions were: irritation, fury and frustration. She had lied to him and that guy had taken advantage of her ... He would kill him!

Steve was about to redo his steps when a familiar voice prevented it.

“Steve right?” He heard her call softly and turned to see who it was.  
“Yes. Wanda, is it?” he asked without interest.  
“Aha” Wanda answered with a tender and sensual smile at the same time, but Steve was looking at the road, he wanted to go but the visit wasn't allowing him to.  
“Do you know where I can find Natasha?” asked Wanda, ignoring his nervousness.

It was exactly what he needed, Steve told himself. He would go with her to see Natasha and so they couldn’t say that he was going like a madman with no reason to kill that guy. He may not kill him but they would have a few words.

Steve relaxed the expression and apologized to the beautiful girl. He drove Wanda to where he had seen Tasha and James a while before but they were gone. The young woman told her not to worry that she would call her on the phone, but it didn’t give a signal. And with feigned kindness, Steve offered to help her find her friend. What he really wanted was to make sure they were not doing anything inappropriate. He wanted to find them, period, thought an annoyed Steve.

Wanda didn’t like the idea of going around the campus with that man, but she had to accept it because otherwise she would be lost in a second. Steve had been very rough with her and she still remembered how rude he had been on the other occasion, but she needed his help, Wanda acknowledged reluctantly.

They walked through the places most frequented by Natasha and was not in any. Already dejected, they had to imagine that she would have gone home.

“How strange, she told me she would be here. She assured me that we would meet here that she had something important to tell me." Wanda said, worried.  
“Don’t worry, probably she wanted to tell you that she is in a relationship with James” reported Steve resentful.  
“No, I know that since Saturday” affirmed Wanda smiling. Oh, no, she thought I had screwed up again! “I mean, she called me to tell me that night.” She lied nervous seeing the angry face from Steve.

Natasha had called her that night to tell her about her relationship with James, and he had not even hinted at that possibility. He had had to catch them together to find out. What kind of friend was she? Didn’t she trust him? What the hell did that little girl have, to trust her and not him? Steve was furious.

The girl saw the expression harden on Steve's face and she didn’t know what to say or whether to say something or not. She had tried to hide that she knew everything that had happened because she witnessed it. She remembered how James had followed Natasha all night as an obedient puppy and that they had left together. Besides, of course at one point in the night Natasha had come to tell her. She was afraid to screw more thing, so she tried to get a neutral subject that they both shared, so there would be no argument.

“Nat is very responsible, I don’t understand how she isn’t here.” said Wanda.

Steve ignored the comment. He didn’t care what their plans were. They had plans together! She ignored him on Sunday to stay with her boyfriend and that same day she had not greeted him, but for her she did have time. He didn’t have the slightest interest in being polite to that girl. He would not give her meaningless talk to look good. He couldn’t stand it! And he didn’t care if it screamed jealous everywhere. He had always been a jealous friend and never had trouble recognizing it.

“Since when do you know each other?” Steve asked with authority.  
“About three years ago” said Wanda after thinking it over.  
“Oh ... I thought you met recently. She had never told me about you." Steve said brutally.  
“Maybe! But she has told me a lot about you. At first, I thought you were her boyfriend but later I realized that you weren’t. That or you were the biggest cheated man of the entire world." Wanda laughed for a moment. Shit! She had screwed up again! And Steve’s amazed face confirm it “Well, I have to go.” She apologized hastily. “Tell Nat if you see her to call me” and added to herself -Although it will not be necessary, she will call to yell at me.

She left immediately, leaving Steve confused. Natasha had had many boyfriends? By the way she had said it didn’t seem to speak of boyfriends, but rather sporadic relationships, without much seriousness. He didn’t believe Natasha was that kind of people. Natasha never looked at any man, talked about them, or saw her with none until James. She had never been with a man before. Steve was sure of that. An expert like him, he would have noticed her in the league. Natasha was a rookie, there was no doubt in his mind. If Wanda had said that, she would probably refer to Natasha talking about the men around her, either because she was surrounded by men and it was normal to refer to them, or because she felt more comfortable talking about "guys" with a woman. But she had not been with any man! He couldn’t ignore her so much as not to know things as essential as that. She was his best friend, he knew her better than anyone else. He knew her much better than any little girl who called herself her friend for having shared some girl talks.


End file.
